Why grip the riser's as high as possible?

[speedy 0]

I have been told that when I switch from the front to the rear riser's I should try and grip them as high a possible. What advantage does this have over gripping them slightly lower?

Attached is a picture of me gripping them too low

Edited to credit Andreas Reiners for the photo.

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[davelepka 4]

The higher you grip the riser, the longer your range of motion will be before you hit your shoulder or run out of slack under your grip.

I think this line of thought started with dive loops. Back when swooping was young, dive loops weren't all that popular, and many jumpers added their own to risers. Some of them would stick them mid-riser, and then they could only pull down to the three ring (just a few inches). By mounting the dive loops higher up, you get a longer range of motion.

As far as rear riser landings, and your grip, I'm not sure it really matters. As long as you can pull your risers far enough to stall the canopy, gripping any higher shouldn't make a difference. Actually, the lower you grip the riser, the shorter your 'jump' to toggles will be when the time comes.

[ccowden 0]

The rear risers are furthest apart at their highest point, therefore, you will get the desired effect with the least amount of actual input the closer to that point that you grip. This allows for smoother, more consistant inputs because you need not apply as much actual input to get the effect you want. The lower you grip your rears, the more input you will need to apply to get the desired effect.

[Brains 2]

Help me understand:
If you grip your rears lower, assuming you don't let go of your toggles, wouldn't you be distorting the tail of your canopy as the ends would be deflected more than the rest or would pulling the rears make up the difference??? Yes i could do it myself and look, however i am not jumping at the moment and am curious.

Never look down on someone, unless they are going down on you.

[davelepka 4]

Say that differently or with more words so I can understand it better.


What effect does the location of your grip have on the input applied to the canopy. Isn't three inches of pull the same at any point from mid-riser up to the cascade?

All of my comments included the provision that there was sufficient slack below the grip to not interfere with your desired input. Otherwise, I still can't see how a three inch pull at the top of the riser, is different than mid riser.

[ianmdrennan 2]

If I were to guess (and that's all it is), it's easier to pull out on the rears the higher your hands are. As far as actually making a performance difference - no clue. Definitely feels more comfy higher.

Maybe Brian Germain will step in with a few answers?

Blues,
Ian

Performance Designs Factory Team

[ccowden 0]

I am not talking about pulling down on the rears, I am talking about pushing/pulling them apart to plane the canopy out. The higher up on the risers you grip, the less distance you need to push them to get the same effect. Plus you can add input range because you are able to push them farther apart higher up than down lower. If you grip your rears in the middle and start pushing out, you will have to apply much more input to plane the canopy out than if you were gripped as high as possible.

Pulling down on the rears has more of the same effect as toggle input by deflecting the tail, which will work but will not yield the same results as pushing the risers apart.

[ccowden 0]

Because risers are made of webbing and are not solid, they will give. So, as you push out on the risers in the middle, they actually bow. Two inches of outward input may only move the tops of the risers one inch. If you can grip them at the very top, and apply one inch of outward input, you get that same inch of distance you got with two inches of input down low. Up top, and inch of input is an inch of movement.

[davelepka 4]

I got it after the first clarification. I was thinking pull and you were thinking push. You do make a good point about pushing, and where to push.

[speedy 0]

Thanks for the input guys. Pulling or pushing, well that's another thread

My thoughts were.... if I attempt to grab them as high a possible, by the time I have my ultra high grip, the canopy is starting to come out of it's dive. As I relax my body after stretching all the way up there, I will be applying at least some pull on the rears which will shorten the recovery arc. This means once I have built up my speed in the initial dive (long recovery arc here is preferable), I can the convert it to horizontal speed slightly quicker by inducing a shorter recovery arc with this stretched grip.
I find I have less control if I grab high because my fully extended arm requires more muscle power from the shoulders to achieve the desired input. Or should I be using a wrist action?

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl

[grega 0]

has anyone considered tail fluttering. this happens because trailing edge isn't loaded (grabing rear risers high, with slack in control lines). maybe grabing rear risers a little lower isn't such a bad thing in that case (especially if your risers are long enough)

"George just lucky i guess!"

[listo 0]

I am suprised that nobody has mentioned riser length. This is just my humble opinion, but I find it a lot easier to reach all the way up to the point that my toggles are tight against my brake ring. I had the problem of being 6'4 and having long monkey arms. I needed longer risers to be able to reach where I needed to without being restricted. I am using 22" in risers and they are still too short for me. I am getting some 24 inchers to see if that works better for me. Either way, you will feel more secure and in more control if you are spread out (pushing out on the risers) front and rear instead of pulling them to your chest. Again, this is just my personal opinion. Find what ever works best for yourself and go with it as long as it is safe. You will most certainly find yourself changing little things here and there over time no matter what approach you take initially.

Live today as tomorrow may not come

[superstu 0]

to be honest, the reason why i STARTED gripping higher was because i saw the pro's doing it adn so i figured their had to be a reason for it. now however, i just feel more comfortable gripping as high as possible because i feel i have more control then if i gripped lower.
also, your picture doesn't look like you're gripping too low. what size are your risers?

Slip Stream Air Sports
Do not go softly, do not go quietly, never back down

[speedy 0]

Quote

what size are your risers?

60 cm or 23.6220472 inches, I would have got longer but that is the maximum length where I can still reach the slider.

Dave

Fallschirmsport Marl